BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 8. Uzbekistan has developed a draft strategy for spent nuclear fuel management, radioactive waste, and decommissioning of nuclear facilities, Director of the Atomic Energy Agency under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan (Uzatom) Azim Akhmedkhadjaev told Trend in an exclusive interview.
“The draft strategy has been developed in accordance with the legal acts of Uzbekistan. It is currently being coordinated with the relevant ministries and agencies,” he said.
In addition, Azim Akhmedkhadjaev noted that Uzbekistan is considering the use of natural uranium mined in the country as tolling raw materials when concluding long-term contracts for the supply of nuclear fuel.
“The utilization of indigenous raw materials will enable the regulation of nuclear fuel prices for Uzbekistan's nuclear power plants in the future, thereby lowering the cost of electricity produced,” the director of Uzatom emphasized.
An important milestone in the development of nuclear energy in the country was the signing of a protocol on September 10, 2024, on the beginning of work on the construction of a small-capacity nuclear power plant. The document covers the design of the plant itself, the construction of a shift camp, a base for construction and installation work, as well as engineering surveys.
According to Akhmedkhadjaev, observations of the components of the natural environment currently continue at the construction site.
“Aerometeorological monitoring, observations of surface and groundwater characteristics, as well as monitoring of seismic activity and modern movements of the Earth's surface, are being conducted. All of these works are carried out based on the recommendations of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) experts following the SEED (Site and External Events Design Review) mission to Uzbekistan in 2022. Preparatory work is also being carried out under the contract. The power start-up of the first unit of the nuclear power plant should take place 60 months after the start of work. Each next unit will be launched at an interval of 6 months,” he said.
The director of Uzatom also noted that Uzbekistan closely cooperates with the IAEA, which contributes to the development of nuclear infrastructure.
“A SEED mission was conducted in 2023, the results of which were positively assessed by international experts. The signing of the annex to the Country Program Framework for 2022-2027 has opened new opportunities for strengthening interaction with the IAEA,” Akhmedkhadjaev stressed.
In the long term, Uzbekistan plans to integrate nuclear energy into the country's energy balance, he said. According to the Concept of Electricity Supply for 2020-2030, the construction of the small-capacity nuclear power plant will not only reduce the consumption of hydrocarbon fuel but also reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Nuclear power will become the basis for all-season supply of electricity, thermal energy, and desalinated water to the country. This is the first step in the development of the nuclear industry, which will contribute to the strengthening of the economy and the welfare of the population. Uzbekistan, as one of the largest producers of natural uranium, intends to use its resources to regulate the cost of nuclear fuel. This will reduce the cost of electricity generation at nuclear power plants,” the director added.